Living Seas

With everything from meadows of seagrass and forests of kelp to tide-scoured submarine cliffs and gravel dunes sculpted by tidal currents, Dorset’s submarine landscapes, habitats and wildlife are more than a match for those we are more familiar with on land.

Being mostly out of sight puts undersea habitats at greater risk - they are less understood, less appreciated and damage can go unnoticed for a long time. This partly explains why marine life around the UK has been declining.

Dorset Wildlife Trust wants to see a return to Living Seas - marine wildlife thriving in our coastal waters, recovering from past decline as we use the sea’s resources more wisely and learn to value the sea for the many ways in which it supports our quality of life. We believe it is possible to achieve Living Seas within a single generation ­ but only if we act now.

Underpinning all this work is our longstanding effort to better understand the marine habitats of Dorset. With the help of remote sensing techniques and an army of volunteer divers and shore-walkers we now have one of the best­ understood areas of seabed in the UK.

Recommended Marine Conservation Zones - Please Take Action!

Have your say and join the Wildlife Trust campaign to protect our sea life.